This invention relates to electrical housings having pre-punched knockouts, such as junction boxes and circuit breaker cabinets, more particularly, an electrical housing knockout device having a sleeve element so as to permit a person to quickly and easily create a hole in a desired knockout from within the electrical housing. Once the hole is created, the user then inserts a tool through the hole so as to apply a force on the exterior of the knockout, thereby removing the knockout.
Currently, junction boxes, also known as electrical boxes, include a plurality of pre-punched “knockouts”, or removable pieces of the junction box, that are removed to allow an electrical raceway to be inserted into the junction box. The knockouts are typically constructed such that a user must exert a force on the exterior of the knockout towards the interior of the junction box to remove the knockout.
During new construction, a person typically removes the desired knockout(s) prior to insertion of the junction box into a wall as it is easier to hold the junction box in one's hand and apply the necessary force to the exterior of the knockout(s) to remove the knockout(s). In the alternative, if the junction box is already installed in a wall but the wall is unfinished, meaning that the exterior of the junction box is readily accessible, the person may also easily remove the desired knockout(s) as he/she will have enough room to manipulate his/her tool to exert force on the exterior of the knockout(s).
However, if an electrician is installing new wiring in an installed junction box in a finished wall, difficulties arise due to being unable to access the exterior of the junction box. In some cases, an electrician may attempt to remove the knockout from within the junction box, by using a drill bit attached to a drill to maneuver the bit against the knockout. However, the drill bit oftentimes falls off of the drill as the perimeter of the junction box severely limits the degree of movement of the drill bit. In addition, because the knockouts are constructed to as to be removed when force is exerted on the exterior of the knockout, a greater force is required to remove the knockouts when force is exerted on the interior of the knockout as opposed to the exterior. Accordingly, the required leverage and force needed to punch out the knockout is not achieved. Thus, in many cases, electrician will just install a new junction box rather than attempt to punch out a knockout in an already installed junction box.
In addition, an electrician experiences the same difficulties with removing knockouts from circuit breaker cabinets or other electrical housings having pre-punched knockouts as these housings also use the same types of knockouts which require force to be exerted on the exterior of the electrical housing, rather than the interior.
Thus, a need exists for an electrical housing knockout device and method that permits a person to quickly and easily create a hole in a desired knockout from within the junction box/circuit breaker cabinet.
The relevant prior art includes the following references:
U.S. Pat. No.(U.S. unless stated otherwise)InventorIssue/Publication Date5,778,720Olexa, Jr.Jul. 14, 19984,569,128ThomasFeb. 11, 19865,577,328Kerry, Sr.Nov. 26, 19963,736,643PepeJun. 05, 19733,579,797PepeMay 25, 19714,167,056NattelSep. 11, 19795,937,695PattersonAug. 17, 19993,604,092KnickerbockerSep. 14, 1971